Why a Royal Insult Law Is a Faultline in Thailand’s Politics
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Thailand’s lese majeste law makes it a crime to defame, insult or threaten King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his close family. The law is taken seriously by the courts, with some of Thailand’s most prominent politicians and parties paying the price for running afoul of the measure.
This includes reformist party Move Forward, which broke a taboo and publicly called for changes to the stringent law. Thailand’s top court in August ruled the party had sought to overthrow the constitutional monarchy, ordering the dissolution of Move Forward and banning its top officials from political activities or running for public office for 10 years.